Publishing

FAQ #2b. How do I self-publish
my book?

I'd first like to point out that self-publishing is not vanity publishing,
although the two terms are often used interchangeably. Vanity publishing
(sometimes called subsidy publishing) is when an author pays a vanity press
to publish her book for her, to include not only printing, but frequently
distribution, sales, and marketing if the contract calls for that. Self-publishing
is when an author controls all aspects of the publishing process with the
intent of taking overall responsibility for the success of the book, to
include distribution, sales, marketing, and everything else. A self-publisher
hires a printer to print the books, but once the books come off the press,
the author/self-publisher takes over from there.

Self-publishing requires a huge amount of resources. It doesn't have to
be expensive but it can be, especially if you don't plan carefully. In addition
to money, successful self-publishing requires a great deal of time, energy,
motivation, and knowledge of the publishing and bookselling industries.
You'll need to have a complete understanding of all aspects of book publishing,
including editorial, design, production, prepress, printing, distribution,
sales, marketing, publicity, order fulfillment, accounting, sales tax, collection,
inventory, copyrights, foreign rights, sales to foreign markets, and
you get the idea.

I recommend that you read several books on self-publishing before you make
the decision to go ahead and do it. (I generally don't recommend vanity
publishing, unless all you want is a printed book to hold in your hands,
and you don't mind if not one copy of the book ever gets sold to another
living human being, which is frequently what happens with vanity publishing.)
Two of the best books for self-publishers that I found helpful when I originally
self-published Chat and Connect were:

By the way, Kremer's book is incredibly useful to both traditionally published
authors as well as self-published authors. I've relied on the excellent
tips contained in this book for many years, from the time I first self-published
to the time I saw my books conventionally published and distributed in bookstores.
This book is a keeper.